Drumtochty

Drumtochty stands on land that was part of a large portion of more than four acres purchased from the Crown by Blakeston Robinson in 1870. This land, since subdivided, occupies most of the upper eastern side of the hill that bears the western end of Kennedy Terrace. The actual summit of the hill is occupied by an adjacent property, which contains another large home from the same era: Ardenclutha. To the north, the land falls away very sharply providing fine views out across the rest of what was formerly Robinson’s property, and beyond. To the east, the Brisbane central business district is visible. The house itself occupies a position near the highest point of Kennedy Terrace. When it was built, Drumtochty was one of few homes on that part of the Terrace. Post Office Directories for the late 1880s show only sparse settlement on the northern side of Kennedy Terrace, and Brisbane City Council sewerage plans confirm that these were mainly large homes on sizeable blocks.

The house was built for Samuel Augustus Pethebridge who purchased a little over an acre of land from Robinson in late 1886. Post Office Directories indicate that he probably built the house in the following year. Pethebridge, a clerk in the GPO at the time, named his new home, Wendouree. In 1888, he purchased the remainder of Robinson’s land, enlarging his already sizeable property. Pethebridge eventually rose through the ranks of the Queensland Civil Service, and, in 1899, was Secretary of the Marine Board and Chief Clerk of the Marine Department. 

Pethebridge’s house was built during a time of great population growth in Brisbane. From the early 1880s, greater numbers of Brisbane’s residents began to occupy what was then the outskirts of the city - areas like Red Hill, Paddington, Newstead, Bowen Hills and West End. The hilly areas at the outer parts of the city, the outermost part of Paddington among them, became popular locations for the wealthier members of Brisbane society. Here they built fine homes along the ridge and hill tops that overlooked the city. Wendouree was one of these.

At the same time expansion of the central business district saw, as historian Ronald Lawson notes, “a segregation of business and residence.” The people who had lived in the city steadily began to move into the surrounding suburbs while business concerns and commerce were left to dominate the CBD. From around this time it became increasingly common for all classes to commute to work in the city, perhaps more so for middle class residents.

Samuel Petherbridge stayed in Kennedy Terrace until he sold the property to Margaret Rose McIntosh Henderson and her husband Robert in 1904. Post Office Directories show that the Henderson family immediately took up residence. The name of the house was changed to Drumtochty around this time. Margaret Henderson died in 1956, but the Henderson family stayed at Kennedy Terrace until 1977, periodically selling off subdivisions of their land. The house remained situated within a large block of land for a considerable time. Sewerage plans made in the late 1930s show the house surrounded by large areas of undeveloped land. In the pre-war period at least, Drumtochty remained a middle class retreat on a substantial section of property. By the time the Hendersons sold the house several generations of the family had lived there.

 

Although extensive alterations were made underneath the house in the 1970s, the property has been well maintained and the original 1880s residence is substantially intact. The present owners have obvious pride in their custodianship of the building, and it makes an outstanding contribution to the aesthetics of the western end of Kennedy Terrace. Though there is a plaque fastened to the front gate dating the residence around 1870, historical research indicates a later date of construction.

The separate corrugated iron verandah roof is lower then the main roof, in a fashion typical of nineteenth century houses.  The verandah has cast balustrading and brackets, with graceful paired square timber posts and a pediment highlighting the front entry to the house.  

The front door has fanlights above and sidelights. A nameplate is mounted on the right side of the front door. French doors open onto the front verandah

The exterior sidewalls are clad with wide horizontal timber boards. Corrugated iron sunhoods decorated with vertical timber battening shade the windows to the sides of the house. 

The house has undergone some alterations, including building in underneath and decks to the rear of the upper floor. Changes to the front section of the house have been limited to replacement of entry sidelight glazing and replication of cast verandah balustrade panels.

Two large trees grace the front garden making an important contribution to the setting of the house and the streetscape of Kennedy Terrace.

1. Brisbane City Council Water Supply & Sewerage Detail Plans

2. Department of Natural Resources, Queensland Certificates of title and other records.

3. Lawson, Ronald Brisbane in the 1890s: A Study of an Australian Urban Society. St Lucia U of Q Press, 1973

4. McKellar's Map of Brisbane and Suburbs. Brisbane: Surveyor-General’s Office, 1895

5. Queensland Post Office Directories